Convertible ski



Aug. 30, 1966 5. J. FUNYAK ETAL 3,269,742

CONVERTIBLE SKI Filed Feb. 7, 1964 United States Patent 3,269,742CONVERTIBLE SKI Steve J. Funyak and Robert F. Funyak, both of 1202 1stSt., Nanty-Glo, Pa. Filed Feb. 7, 1964, Ser. No. 343,279 3 Claims. (Cl.280--11.13)

This invention relates to a convertible ski having a handle adapted tobe used by children and beginners, the handle being removable forconventional use of the ski.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a device of thekind indicated, which involves a conventional ski and a readilyremovable handle, whose mounting does not impair the fitness of the skifor regular use, and does not interfere with the gliding and otheractions of the ski when in place on the ski. When the handle is in placeon the ski, the beginners or the childs grip on the handle stabilizesthe device and prevents sidewise and forward rear falls off the ski.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a device of the present invention,with its handle secured in place;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical longitudinal section takenon the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1; and,

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of FIGURE 2.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the illustrated device comprises aconventional ski runner having an upturned forward end 12 and provided,on its upper surface 14, intermediate its ends, with any suitableski-boot fastenings 16, 18.

At a location substantially midway between the fastenings 16, 18 and theforward end 12 of the runner 10, the underside 20 of the runner isformed with a centered, longitudinally elongated recess 22, which isspaced from the side edges 24 of the runner. As shown in FIGURE 3, therecess 22 is preferably rectangular and relatively narrow, compared toits length.

An anchor plate 26, of the same size and shape as the recess 22, isenagged in the recess, and has an undersurface 28 which is flush withthe underside 20 of the runner, so that the presence of the anchor plate26 does not interfere with the sliding or gliding properties of therunner 10.

Upstanding front and rear bolts 30 and 32, are suitably fixed to theanchor plate 26, as indicated at 33, at locations adjacent to its ends,and extend upwardly through bores 34 and 36, respectively, formed in therunner.

A handle 38 comprises a longitudinally elongated flat base plate 40,preferably of elliptical form and wider than the anchor plate 26, and isformed, adjacent its ends, with front and rear holes 42 and 44, adaptedto receive the front and rear bolts 30 and 32, respectively. Wing nuts46 are provided, to be secured down on the upper ends of the bolts andagainst the upper surface of the base plate 40, for holding the handlein place on the runner 12.

The handle 38 further comprises a single rod which has a relativelystraight lower end portion 48 which, at its lower end, is suitablyaffixed to or is integral with the base plate 40, at a pointintermediate the ends of the latter. The lower end portion 48 merges, atits upper end, in an upwardly and forwardly and rearwardly curvedintermediate portion 50. The intermediate portion 50 terminates, at itsupper end, in a straight, relatively long 3,269,742 Patented August 30,1966 upwardly and rearwardly angled rear or upper portion 52.

The upper portion 52, as indicated in FIGURE 1, has a transversehorizontal handle bar 54 fixed, intermediate its ends, on the rear orupper end of the upper portion 52, the handle bar 54 being locateddirectly in front of and spaced above the ski-boot fastenings 16, 18, ina position to be readily and securely grasped by the user of the device. The forward ofi-setting of the lower and intermediate portions ofthe handle rod, relative to the ski-boot fastenings, provides desirableclearance relative thereto, and, in addition, where the rod is endowedwith some limited resilience, this formation thereof provides for freefiexing thereof relative to the runner while the device is in use.

When the handle 38 is removed, by backing off the nuts 46, and removingthe handle from the bolts 30 and 32, the nuts 46 are then restored onthe bolts and tightened, so as to hold the anchor plate 26 in place inthe recess 22.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a ski runner havingforward and rear ends, and an upstanding handle fixed to the runner andspaced from the ends thereof, said runner having a mid-length point andsaid handle being located between the forward end of the runner and saidmid-length point, and ski-boot fastening means on the runner at alocation behind said mid-length point, said ski runner having an uppersurface and an underside, the underside of the runner being formed witha recess spaced from the ends of the runner, an anchor plate secured inand conforming to said recess, said anchor plate having an undersideflush with the underside of the runner, longitudinally spaced upstandingbolts fixed to the base plate and extending upwardly through and abovethe runner, a base plate bearing upon the upper surface of the runnerand formed with holes receiving the bolts, nuts on the bolts bearingdown upon the base plate, and said upstanding handle fixed to the baseplate.

2. A device of the character described comprising a ski runner havingforward and rear ends, an upstanding handle fixed to the runner andspaced from the ends thereof, said runner having a mid-length point andsaid handle being located between the forward end of the runner and saidmid-length point, and ski-boot fastening means on the runner at alocation behind said mid-length point, said ski runner having an uppersurface and an underside, the underside of the runner being formed witha recess spaced from the ends of the runner, an anchor plate secured inand conforming to said recess, said anchor plate having an undersideflush with the underside of the runner, longitudinally spaced upstandingbolts fixed to the base plate and extending upwardly through and abovethe runner, a base plate bearing upon the upper surface of the runnerand formed with holes receiving the bolts, nuts on the bolts bearingdown upon the base plate, and said upstanding handle fixed to the baseplate, said recess being longitudinally elongated and spaced from theside edges of the runner, said base plate being wider than the anchorplate.

3. A device of the character described comprising a ski runner havingforward and rear ends, an upstanding handle fixed to the runner andspaced from the ends thereof, said runner having a mid-length point andsaid handle being located between the forward end of the runner and saidmid-length point, and ski-boot fastening means on the runner at alocation behind said mid-length point, said ski runner having an uppersurface and an underside, the underside of the runner being formed witha recess spaced from the ends of the runner, an anchor plate secured inand conforming to said recess, said anchor plate having an undersideflush with the underside of the runner, longitudinally spaced unstandingbolts fixed to the base plate and extending upwardly through and abovethe runner, a base plate bearing upon the upper surface of the runnerand formed with holes receiving the bolts, nuts on the bolts bearingdown upon the base plate, and said upstanding handle fixed to the baseplate, said recess being longitudinally elongated and spaced from theside edges of the runner, said base plate being wider than the anchorplate, said handle comprising a rod fixed at its lower end to the baseplate between the bolts.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/ 1890Nordenstrom 280-23 12/1918 Brandes 28012 9/1922 Barlow 280-1 1.13 8/1924Kieft et a1 280-11.13 X 9/ 1928 Martinson 28011.13 12/1937 Anderson etal 280-23 X 8/1945 Ruhrne 280l2 2/1949 Dunkel 28023 FOREIGN PATENTS 8/1937 Denmark.

15 BENJAMIN HERSH, Primary Examiner.

MILTON L. SMITH, Examiner.

1. A DEVICE OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING A SKI RUNNER HAVINGFORWARD AND REAR ENDS, AND AN UPSTANDING HANDLE FIXED TO THE RUNNER ANDSPACED FROM THE ENDS THEREOF, SAID RUNNER HAVING A MID-LENGTH POINT ANDSAID HANDLE BEING LOCATED BETWEEN THE FORWARD END OF THE RUNNER AND SAIDMID-LENGTH POINT, AND SKI-BOOT FASTENING MEANS ON THE RUNNER AT ALOCATION BEHIND SAID MID-LENGTH POINT, SAID SKI INNER HAVING AN UPPERSURFACE AND AN UNDERSIDE, THE UNDERSIDE OF THE RUNNER BEING FORMED WITHA RECESS SPACED FROM THE ENDS OF THE RUNNER, AN ANCHOR PLATE SECURED INAND CONFORMING TO SAID RECESS, SAID ANCHOR PLATE HAVING AN UNDERSIDEFLUSH WITH THE UNDERSIDE OF THE RUNNER, LONGITUDINALLY SPACED UPSTANDINGBOLTS FIXED TO THE BASE PLATE AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY THROUGH AND ABOVETHE RUNNER, A BASE PLATE BEARING UPON THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE RUNNERAND FORMED WITH HOLES RECEIVING THE BOLTS, NUTS ON THE BOLTS BEARINGDOWN UPON THE BASE PLATE, AND SAID UPSTANDING HANDLE FIXED TO THE BASEPLATE.